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Reports say NCAA goalie of the year Zane McIntyre to sign with Bruins

University of North Dakota goaltending standout Zane McIntyre, a Bruins draft pick in 2010, wants to turn pro and is looking to sign with the club that drafted him. McIntyre was given the Mike Richter Award for his play in 2014-15 as the NCAA's most outstanding goaltender. He helped lead North Dakota to a Frozen Four appearance.

Fear not, Bruins fans, as losing netminder Niklas Svedberg might not hurt that much after all. University of North Dakota goaltender Zane McIntyre is reportedly set to sign with Boston mere months after being named the Mike Richter Award winner as NCAA Division 1 hockey's most outstanding goaltender.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, McIntyre, who was drafted by the Bruins in the sixth round, 165th overall, of the 2010 draft, is set to turn pro this off-season and would like to ink a deal with the team that drafted him.

Over the past two years at North Dakota, McIntyre has been nothing short of outstanding. In 2013-14, in just his second season with UND, McIntyre posted a 20-10-3 record with a 1.99 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. He improved his SP to .929 this season and his GAA slipped by the slightest of margins to 2.05. At the end of the season, McIntyre finished with a 29-10-3 record and helped lead North Dakota to the Frozen Four.

Bruins fans may not recall the name Zane McIntyre, but that would be because the 22-year-old legally changed his last name in August 2014 to honor his late grandmother. His prior last name was Gothberg.

“My grandmother and my mother have been very influential in my life,” McIntyre said back in August. “With the passing of my grandmother and my mother getting re-married, as well as my sister getting married, I’ve made the personal choice to carry on the family name in their honor.”

McIntyre also found himself in the news recently for his heartwarming act of kindness towards an 18-year-old fan of his, Shayla Miller, who was born with hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy and Goldenhar Syndrome. Miller wanted to go to her senior prom with McIntyre and the UND standout made it happen.

“This was something really special to do with Shayla, who is a really absolutely incredible person, couldn’t have shared it with a better person at all,” he told local news outlet WDAZ during the evening.

McIntyre has not formally announced his intention to sign with the Bruins, but with Svedberg, who recently signed in the KHL, out of the picture, it would only make sense for Boston to ink McIntyre to a deal.

If he signs, McIntyre will likely end up in the AHL and behind Malcolm Subban and Tuukka Rask on the Bruins' depth chart. Playing in Providence, McIntyre's competition in goal will likely be Subban, in order to give the 21-year-old more time to grow, or Jeremy Smith, who suited up for 33 games last season in the AHL, winning 22 and posting a 2.05 GAA and .933 SP.